Katja Seltmann

University of Kentucky Department of Entomology S-225 Ag. Sciences Center North Lexington, KY 40546 MOon@uky.edu

Education:

January 2002—

University of Kentucky, Department of Entomology

Dr. Michael Sharkey

Accepted for the Masters Program in Entomology

Winter 1993-Winter 1998

University of Georgia, Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in drawing/color theory

1995-1996

Ecole d’Art d’Aix en Provence, France.

Guest student and artist’s assistant at this institute for art and technology, Department of New Media

Fall 1990-Spring 1992

North Carolina State University, Department of Zoology

Current Research:

University of Kentucky, Department of Entomology

Dr. Michael Sharkey

Development of interactive keys to the Hymenopteran families using D.E.L.T.A. (DEscription Language for Taxonomy). Photograph key characters using Auto-montage by Syncroscopy© and database these characters as part of the Large Scale Phylogenetic Analysis of the Hymenoptera project. Make these keys available on the internet for use by researchers, extension specialists and the community.

Keys are available at: http://www.uky.edu/~mjshar0/datasets/welcome.html

Publications:

Nowak, John. T., Christopher J. Fettig, Kenneth W. McCravy, Christopher S. Asaro, Katja C. Seltmann, Richard C. Reardon & C. W. Berisford. 2001. Guide to Common Natural Enemies of the Nantucket Pine Tip Moth. United States Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team.

Sullivan, Brian T., Eva M. Petterson, Katja Seltmann, & C.W. Berisford. 2000. Attraction of the Bark Beetle Parasitoid Roptrocerus xylophagorum to Host-Associated Olfactory Cues. Environmental Entomology 29(6): 1138-1151.

Sullivan, Brian T., Katja Seltmann, & C.W. Berisford.1999. A Simple and Continuous Rearing Technique for the Bark Beetle Parasitoid, Roptrocerus xylophagorum. Journal of Entomological Sciences 34(2): 260-264.

Presentations:

Professional:

Entomological Society of America Meeting. Building an Interactive Key for the Hymenoptera. 10 minute presentation. November, 2003.

Entomological Society of America Meeting. Insect Art and Culture Symposium. NewWave Entomolgy and the Post Modern Lecture. Poster. November, 2003.

University of Kentucky, Masters Research Proposal Seminar. Building an Interactive Key for the Hymenoptera and Subsequent Cladistic Analysis of the Apocrita (Hymenoptera). September, 2003.

Summer Symposium of the Center for Ecology, Evolution and Behavior. Building a Pleasing Key to the Families of Hymenoptera. 10 minute presentation. May, 2002.

Outreach/Community Service:

Bernheim Forest bug day. You, the Charmer, A musical lecture about cockroaches. August 2003. Part of a continuing series of Musical Entomological Lectures performed in art galleries, rock clubs and other alternate classroom environments.

Outreach radio series. Entomelodical Moments. Broadcast on WRFL 88.1 fm. Entomology graduate students are interviewed about research projects, University of Kentucky extension programs and fascinating entomological facts. January 2004

Professional Employment:

Research Technician

University of Georgia, Department of Entomology

Dr. Charles W. Berisford, March 1998-Janurary 2002

Microsporidia LD50 studies with the US Forest Service, Dr. James Hanula Involving a pathogenic protozoan in the class Microsporea, similar to Nosema sp. Spruce Coneworm, Dioryctria amatella, second instar larvae inoculated with set concentrations of microsporidia are allowed to develop on uncontaminated diet. Survivorship and pupal weights are recorded. Moribund pupae and deceased larvae are dissected, determining the presence of spores. Presently, infected female D. amatella and non-infected males are paired in hopes of evaluating effectiveness of trans-ovarial transmission. Maintenance of a colony of Dioryctria amatella .

Roptrocerus xylophagorum project with Brian Sullivan Responsibilities included maintenance of a continuous reared colony of pine beetle parasitoid Roptrocerus xylophagorum and pine beetle host Ips granicollis. Supplying the insects with basic needs, assessing the colony vigor, and diagnosis of present or potential problems within the colony. Bioassays using a Y-tube olfactometer, experiencing female R. xylophagorum prior to experimentation, observing and recording behavior and behavioral changes in R. xylophagorum and I. grandicollis.

Identification of southern pine infesting insects and their related parasitoids. Population trends of common Nantucket pine tip moth parasitoids.

Maintain domestic and exotic live specimens for the Entomology Department’s "Insect Zoo", used during outreach programs.

Research Assistant

University of Georgia, Department of Entomology

Dr. Michael Adang, May 1997-1999

Primary job rearing a Bacillus thuringiensis resistant, sustainable, colony of Heliothis virescens, bioassay the colonies progress, carry out selection and fecundity experiments, observe and diagnose current and potential problems in colonies and rearing techniques.

Rearing multiple species of insects including Manduca sexta, Ostrinia nubilalis, Diabrotica virgifera, Spodoptera exigua, Heliothis zea and Plutella xylostella

Dissection of insects to obtain the larval mid-gut. Mid-gut and whole insect body isolation of brush border membranes, qualified enzyme activity in insect tissue and determination of protein concentration by quantitated aminopeptidase Bradford Assay.

Research Assistant

North Carolina State University, Department of Entomology

Dr. Fred Gould, 1989-1992

Worked primarily with graduate student Tracy Johnson

Responsibilities included colonies of H. virescens parasitoids, Campoletis sonorensis and Cardiochiles nigericepts

Laboratory and field observations of parasitoids and behavioral interrelations with H. virescens on toxic plants and/or in the presence of other natural enemies

Research Assistant

North Carolina State University, Department of Entomology

Dr. George Kennedy, 1987-1989

General laboratory and field responsibilities including identification of pests/natural enemies on major crop species

Volunteer Curator

North Carolina Museum of Natural History

1984-1990

Care of rescued wildlife and non-poisonous living displays

Assistant in outreach programs

Travel including Mexico (1984), Amazon River Basin in Peru (1986), Trinidad (1987) and the Atlantic rainforest in Brazil (1988)

Volunteer recognition award 1989

Memberships

The Begonia Society (www.begoniasociety.org)

Entomological Society of America

Art & Science Collaborations, Inc.